The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-25
EARLY TURKEY SHOOTING
MAURICE THOMPSON RECALLS OLD
TIME SPORT WITH THE BIRD.
Tho Wild Turkey Better Than Our Corn
Fed one-The Fun of Lying Hidden
and Calling Him Up To Be Shot is
Unequaled.

Maurice Thompson, In the New York World.
As each Thanksgiving day approaches, my
thoughts begin TO cluster around certain cX-
pcricnccs in the past which are full of what
the true sportsman calls his chief delight
You do not know just what mean unless
you have felt the influence which know
shall fail to put into this sketch, the fascina-
ton of the genuine old fashioned turkey
hunt should be able TO speak with some
thing near authority ON this subject, as |
have killed turkeys with every weapon OF
the fowler, including the flint locked ride the
single barrel and the double barrel shotgun,
the cross bow the long bow and finally the
army musket, while | have not yet reached
the 50 called meridian Of life But whether
am entitled "a u hearing or not, | am bound
90 speak all the same aud you are doomed
90 take note Of what | say, for Thanksgiving
Is NJ hand and everybody must pay his re-
spccts to the noble bird whose tender flesh Is
30 conducive to the proper spiritual oondi-
ton cnioinCdb by the President aud governors
at this season Of the year. II would seem that
roast turkey has in Il a quintcscncc Of polit-
zeal, social and religious efficacy, seeing IL ia
proclaimed from the seats Of government,
preached from the pulpit and indicated in
the invitations to the Thanksgiving dinners
Indeed, the American citizen who can look
the minister of the gospel IN the face while
the sncercst Thanksgiving sermon In the
world is being delivered, and not see q fine
vision OF roast turkey and cranberry jelly
bcaming through the atmosphere OF the dis
course Is no patriot, aud doubt the genuine
ness Of his conversion The flesh pots Of
Egypt were insipid and without influence In
comparison with our annual roast fowl
The turkey In it, wild state Is exclusively
American, aud some one has well said Liat
II should have been made our national "bird
q. freedom" instead of the eagle. II Is true
that making the turkey soar from the politl-
cal stump and from the Fourth OF July plat
form would be q trille embarrassing, but
doubtless American ingenuity aud clcmcn,y
could have put aside the obstacle Ii We had
ret out with the turkey stamped on our dol
lars and embroidered ON our FLAGS II isa|
mighty compliment 10 the bind. however,
when We drop the eagle for II ON ThmnkViy-
ing day, fnr II men and women ever are en-
tircly sincere IL Is when they inyoluniauly
express their gutrOnomic preferences.
What does formal symbolism amount 90 In
the presence OF practical demonstration of
native patriotism?
The wild turkey Is a far moro excellent
bird than the domestic TURKEY; IN fact, there
Is no comparison The barnyarl cannot give
that flavor aud that texture which testify al
wild berries, seeds and nuts, fragrant
grasses and punput buds eaten ia The
freedom of the wilderness. IN short The
true and genuinely patriotic THANKSGIVING
IL gf "A nil IL Its
great day comes inst at the time when the
spring-hatched birds arc coming 10 maturity, |
plump aud tender juicy ms ripe fruit and /
Favored by the subtlc.t process Of nature 10 |
n delicate nicely which no cook may hope 10 |
initiate. Tho cpiCu,c knows this flavor and /
values q, and the Wild turkey should bring
twice The price Of domestic one In the
market
The oruithologs,s namc but one genus
md two species 81 turkey; the common spe.
rics Of the United states Is named Mclengris
Americana and formerly was abundant in
most OF our woods frnm canada tn Florida |
east n the great plains. AZ present 10 Oh con |
fined to wooded aras which hnyo not been |
much disturbed by man, chiefly IN the |
southern States.
Spring used 10 be the favorite ilmc Tor
shooting iufktr. and although the practice
ans n1l and hos been abolished justly, ! no
nil With intense pleasure many q morning
spent In the bush chipping through the
bone tu allure n "ruhblinr' turk, ,-cOck |
10 his death. ! knew where thc birds roasted
ih ihr heavy Timber Of tho swamp and be-
lore dayhrcak ufod 30 go 20 pot near the
roud and hide mytoli in "bFu-h blud"--a /
Hpri oi tent formed Of bushes There with |
my rifle or my Crus.buw las tho luuF.buw /
was not suited 90 the purp1scl, ! began lmi.
uiIng the cry ~ tufkcy-hcn This would
soon o. answered hy the Tohhlc ul "a cock
who was per,hod in the dense top of some
giant oak or pine in the EWampv Jungle of n
southern river "hutinm." MANY a time |
have called q turkey 10 me lcilrr 10 was yet
lirht enough io sre how 90 aim my weapon.
Usually Che distance wasso short, however.
that nicely of shooting was not required
For this popular method ut p0thuntlnr the
Crlss-how was tho bet weapon of 40, hccausc
II made so little uni9' when hrrl tint one
could Call mp and lii lirl after Bird without
alarming fho rest I recall s6yoml inrinncrf
IN which KILLED from two 10 six turkeys
fiom tlD saline blind during che srarc ut nu
hour OF two. have always maintained that
The sportsman who uses primitive weapons
T. Justified in using the arllhCc. oi pfimi-
tive men 90 uutwit his game, nor should be-
he called putlWicr by men who 20 armed
with thc dciugA,o brcccl loader OF recent
invention.
Whom ] ne frn 7 conform % the strict.
80 rules ~ thc cunning craft but when I
take up che gun of the savage then I DO us
The snyaFc shooter does Aiirr all however.
Why b b more savage 30 call turkey up a.
you iud shoot it With cru..-how than 10 u
70 Jay o. neck on block, ms your butcher
does. and cut it tn Noi The gunner luui |
nm uucl sometimes tuys that DO j. iruUhlU 10
shoot bird before Dc dies. So b. g.. loo a
tpuritman'1 Wow, III You Wc shot gun
loaded with ~ or 80 pellets of shot. hut I'd
you nee "a crUas-boW aud one qulrrl, then Do
u D. very noble a. shoot your game ns YOU
hcfi con. And fItnking 81 genuinely Thrill.
ing part ] know II none ao line as this lurk-
ing under cover aud Turing tarkcy 90 your
eliot When your weapons accurate range o.
not more than twenty i've yards.
let the morning be- a clear. sparkling.
starry frosty one, with perhaps ju.t o. hint
Of iur hanging low IN the woods and u streak
OF daylight cracking The east Take down
your htavy old Spanish crux.how aud your
broad headed qulrdls. swallow small Gun
81 coffee and g0 forth to your blind near the
rposi. ho very gnyiul approaching. go ns
not 70 lci ihe binis know, and az soon as you
are hidden BERN their turkey "yclp" or
oroak Tho sounds viii havo a sir,nre n
feet q, they break he stiffness and 30 echo.
Ing through Tie woods and IL may try your
patience waiting Tor a Response. hutht lrHrth
~ viii come, Noise quite inlpacr.hahlo aud
inimliahlc, the eohhlc OF the cock. Gar oa In
ia. thick,st part oi the forest
railways cxCltcs one, this hrst answer Of
The game, and have great dimculty In net
iing iuli control oi my nerves 20 cavcr an
for the shot IL ~ a very cautious and
patient bird, mover hurfying 90 matter how
much you coax. Inch by inch, ns 10 were
be crrcps along, stopping here and there Il
Jet fall bic wings aud strut or 10 stand and
listen. but he does not fail tp rohhlo nj In
regular intervals as be journeys toward YOU
on BIZ zigzag r0uie, through the dense un
dffifuan aud flrre IL suturfNH... H.. Al